Joe Biden may be a political dinosaur, but as a 78-year-old white man, he is moving away from the “boy’s club” mentality in his White House staff picks.
Biden and Harris announced their communication team would be composed of all women on Nov. 28.
Biden chose Jen Psaki to be the face of his administration, serving as the White House press secretary. She worked as a top member of Biden’s transition team and was also the press secretary for the Obama administration from 2015 to 2017. Psaki was also the spokesperson for the state department from 2013 to 2015 and worked under Secretary of State John Kerry.
John Kerry will also be serving in the Biden administration as a top climate adviser. Psaki is no stranger to those she will be working with in the Biden administration and will undoubtedly harness her extensive communication experience to lead media affairs.
Kate Bedingfield was named communications director and previously worked as the deputy Biden-Harris campaign manager. Bedingfield had a hand in almost every press release for the campaign. What makes Bedingfield impressive is that she manages a team of at least 100 people, shaping Biden’s message and strategy, all from the comfort of home.
Elizabeth Alexander, who was Biden’s press secretary during the Obama administration, worked as a senior adviser on the Biden campaign and served as Biden’s communications director during his time as a senator.
“I’ve long admired Elizabeth’s intellect, grace and optimism during her many years on the Biden team,” Former Second Lady Jill Biden said in a tweet. “We know her as a consummate professional and manager with a contagious enthusiasm.”
Ashley Etienne was chosen to be Harris’s communications director. She worked on the Biden campaign as a senior adviser and previously worked as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s communications director and senior adviser. She played a crucial role during Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings.
Karine Jean Pierre is experienced in the political world, once serving in several key roles in the Obama administration. She has worked on political projects from presidential campaigns to grassroots movements. She was a senior adviser to Biden and Harris’s chief of staff during their campaign, and has now been brought on board as the deputy press secretary.
Pili Tobar recently worked as the communications director for Biden’s coalitions and has now been appointed deputy communications director. Previously she was the deputy director of America’s Voice, which advocated on behalf of immigrants, and served as the Hispanic media director for Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer.
Tobar and Pierre are both lesbian women of color, which speaks to Biden’s pledge to diversify his White House.
“These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden’s efforts to hire women in his new administration cannot be understated, nor should they be overlooked. His communication team is full of extremely qualified, capable women who can be expected to execute their responsibilities dutifully for the American people, and serve as a shining example of gender equality.
